Western Railroad Discussion > Donner Pass Flanger West of Truckee - Mar 5

A powerful winter storm has hit the Sierra Nevada's, and UP's Donner Pass route.  Snow started to fall Saturday evening, and within 24 hours has added 24" - 28" to the snowpack.  As a result,  workhorse of snow removal, the Flangers, have been working all day.  As contrasted by "Sierra Cement", this snow fall has a lighter moisture content, so the resulting snow was light an fluffy, creating a much greater throw of snow from the equipment.  The pictures show a Flanger set running ahead of Amtrak Train #6 at MP 204.   

Enjoy!

Roger



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/17 16:52 by SierraRailfan.

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NICE!

Awesome shots.

Ronda Thomas

Posted from Android

Sick shots!!. You can see the snow barreling off of the plow in your amazing second photo.

I find it telling that UP still uses older ex-SP GP-38's with SP style BIG snowplows to get the job done, unlike new units with their wimpy snowplows.

Great shots but should it be March 5?

Awesome! Wish I was there. Thanks for posting. Where were you west of Truckee?

Posted from iPhone

Very well done!

coach Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I find it telling that UP still uses older ex-SP
> GP-38's with SP style BIG snowplows to get the job
> done, unlike new units with their wimpy snowplows.

Those locomotives appear equipped with all the necessary protection to do the job.

Protective mesh in front of the windscreens, etc

I can't see it but would the air intakes for the engines would have been modified too?

Michael McInerney
Marion, South Australia,

Nice pics you sure turned away quick to protect your camera.

Thanks all for your nice comments!  Greatly appreciated!

As for the location, it's about MP 204, generally behind the SaveMart Shopping center off Hwy 89.

Roger



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/17 16:50 by SierraRailfan.

Halfway down the page: http://espee.railfan.net/spgp38-2.html

mmciau Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> coach Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I find it telling that UP still uses older
> ex-SP
> > GP-38's with SP style BIG snowplows to get the
> job
> > done, unlike new units with their wimpy
> snowplows.
>
> Those locomotives appear equipped with all the
> necessary protection to do the job.
>
> Protective mesh in front of the windscreens, etc
>
> I can't see it but would the air intakes for the
> engines would have been modified too?

Posted from iPhone

Awesome shots Roger!

Posted from Android

SCORE!!!!!!!!

Thanks for that MW810 - it shows the 'roof' over the intakes indeed.

So UP have a batch of 'pampered' locomotives hanging around the depot so they are available to do a specific job.

In the grand scale of "engine hours" record keeping, the logs for these locomotives wouldn't show many engine hours in relation to years since they were modified to do these tasks.

Probably the bodies will rust away before the engines ever look like wearing out!!
Mike

MW810 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Halfway down the page:
> http://espee.railfan.net/spgp38-2.html
>
> mmciau Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > coach Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I find it telling that UP still uses older
> > ex-SP
> > > GP-38's with SP style BIG snowplows to get
> the
> > job
> > > done, unlike new units with their wimpy
> > snowplows.
> >
> > Those locomotives appear equipped with all the
> > necessary protection to do the job.
> >
> > Protective mesh in front of the windscreens,
> etc
> >
> > I can't see it but would the air intakes for
> the
> > engines would have been modified too?
>
> Posted from iPhone

Michael McInerney
Marion, South Australia,

It seems odd to me that the consist seems to be loco-flanger-loco-flanger because it is not symmetrical.  Flanger are not reversible, right? Wouldn't loco-flanger-flanger-loco with the flanger facing opposite make more sense?  It would be reversible. 
 Nice shots.  Brave too!

Kimball Wrote:
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> Wouldn't loco-flanger-flanger-loco with the
> flanger facing opposite make more sense?  It
> would be reversible. 

Flangers to the best of my knowledge are NOT reversible, they travel in one direction only, and have the capability to move snow either to the left or right or both the left and right of the track's centerline. This is one of the reasons that the SP built reversing loops or balloon tracks on the Donner line. The snow fighting equipment could quickly keep making the rounds over Donner to keep it clear.

SV

Coming back late to post this,

I was wondering if the Union Pacific MOW department had ever considered
installing the European style flange plows where both sides of the flangeway
are plowed at one time and in either direction??